June 2017
White Sands Missile Range
New Mexico
"Mayday, mayday!" came the alert as the plane descended towards the base runway, the beings surrounding it jetting back and forth like mites attacking a bird. But these mites had teeth - and super-strength. "This is Air Force One with a Code Uniform Mayday, repeat, a Code Uniform Mayday! We are in distress and about to make an emergency landing at White Sands Missile Range!"
General George Bradley, the overall commander at White Sands, was a scientist more than a warrior - but he knew a Code U Mayday well enough. He'd been a young second lieutenant assisting Colin Powell the last time a Code U had been called - when the man it had been named for, the Ubermensch, attacked the White House during the first Gulf War and only barely been defeated by the Centurion. Superhumans were attacking the President!
"Clear the runaway, now!" he called, running out the door from his office to his command post at top speed. "Get Kirtland and Cannon to scramble their jets now!" The Air Force bases weren't that far away, not at jet speed. The moment he stepped outside, he heard the battle in the air - Air Force One was screaming in for a landing at breakneck speed, smoke pouring from its engines, the zipping forms of attacking metas on either side now taking fire themselves from White Sands' small MP force. "And put out an alert - White Sands is under attack by unknown hostile forces!"
There was no point in letting the world know the President was arriving - not yet!

June 30th, 2017.
Claremont Academy Main Hall, the end of year event/fundraiser/mixer.
8:01 PM
Corinne Conrad did not, necessarily, want to be here. She had to play catch up, and still get in all the training needed, plus there was a delay in her getting her powers examined so... there was that.
She was, also, hard hide, at her height and appearance. Corinne dressed up, with a slightly longer than knee length dress, in a tasteful pink and black plaid with a light orange accent. As it was an event for the parents, she was here to be... Well she didn't know, except her parents were in town. Fortunately her biological father wasn't here to add to the awkward, but he seemed to understand that, and kept a respectful distance, while still showing interest.
Her hands folded in her lap, she wasn't even her normal ravenous self as she waited for... something? Her blue eyes looking around distantly at her surroundings while her folks did their mingling.

Player Name: TheRedGuy Character Name: El Huracán Power Level: 10 (157/163PP) Trade-Offs: +2 Defense / -2 Toughness Unspent Power Points: 6
In Brief: Hotheaded Hispanic air controller studying at Claremont. Residence: Claremont Academy Base of Operations: Freedom City Catchphrase: TBD
Alternate Identity: Aníbal Herrera Miramontes Identity: Secret Birthplace: Freedom City, USA Occupation: Claremont Student Affiliations: N/A. Family: Eduardo Herrera Moreno (father, age 55), María Elena Herrera Miramontes (mother, age 42), Alejandro Herrera Miramontes (brother, age 20)
Description: Age: 16 (DoB: Feb 1st 1999) Apparent Age: late teens/early 20s Gender: Male Ethnicity: Hispanic Height: 5'9“ Weight: 175 lbs Eyes: Amber Hair: Jet Black
Lean and muscular, Aníbal cuts a striking figure, appearing older and more mature than he really is. His skin is bronze, without visible blemishes save for a small mole above his upper lip. He keeps his hair neatly slicked back, and is always meticulously groomed. Perhaps his most unusual feature are his eyes, of a rare amber color, glimmering with warmth and mirth. His clothes are obviously expensive, but never gaudy, with no obnoxiously large labels or logos on display. He is usually dressed casually but conservatively, in a style reminiscent of North American „preppies“, though with a Latin twist to the colors and fabrics. His English is flawless, although spoken with a refined, velvet smooth Hispanic accent. Anyone meeting him for the first time would recognise immediately that he's a scion of the moneyed elite, a child of privilege.
As El Huracán, he wears a specially designed flight suit. It is black, skin-tight, with gold accents on the boots and gloves, black goggles whose lenses appear gold-tinted on the outside, and a golden whirlwind symbol on the chest.
Power Descriptions:
Aníbal is a mutant aerokinetic, capable of controlling the flow of air currents to produce a variety of effects. He can create gale-force winds capable of knocking over opponents and pushing heavy objects, launch damaging blasts of compressed air, suffocate people by removing air from their lungs, deflect incoming projectiles and throw them back at the attacker, and cause a devastating whirlwind in an area of up to 125 feet in radius. His control over air also enables him to fly at speeds of up to 250 mph. His lungs have enhanced capacity, allowing him to hold his breath for longer periods of time and breathe normally even in extremely high altitudes. By sensing subtle variations in air flow, he can feel objects even if he can't see them.
His custom-built flight suit comes with special glare-resistant goggles that adjust to allow improved vision in limited light conditions. The suit's padding affords limited protection from damage. It is lined with an experimental material that isolated the wearer from extreme heat and cold, as well as protecting from the effects of high pressure during fast aerial maneuvers.
History:
In 1993, during the Terminus invasion, Eduardo Herrera Moreno found himself in Freedom City, in the American headquarters of his firm, Herrera International. He had risen from humble beginnings and built a business exporting premium Mexican tequilas worldwide. Refusing the opportunity to evacuate the city, he stayed behind, helping the 50-odd employees of his Freedom City office escape to safety in the face of Omegadrone devastation. He himself sustained an injury during the attack, which reduced the Herrera International headquarters to rubble. His life was saved by the intervention of one of Freedom City's superheroes. While he was exposed to the strange energies of the Terminus, they seemed to have left no long-term consequences. After the attack was foiled, Herrera returned to Mexico a hero. The press praised his actions during the crisis and highlighted his generous donations to the reconstruction funds, particularly helping out the city's Hispanic neighborhoods. Overnight, the nouveau riche outsider became a fixture among the country's patrician elites. Soon he met a young socialite, María Elena Miramontes, daughter of Don Nicéforo Miramontes Castillo, owner of one of the largest agave plantations in Mexico and the associated Miramontes distillery. The two married in 1994, which boosted Herrera's standing and wealth considerably. In 1995, their first child, Alejandro, was born.
In 1999, while María Elena was visiting her husband in Freedom City, she went into labor several weeks before she was due. On the eve of February 1st 1999, she gave birth to a healthy baby boy, named Aníbal María Nicéforo Herrera Miramontes. The child was an American citizen by accident of birth. Little Aníbal grew up in Mexico, spending time in his father's luxury villa in Ciudad de Mexico and his grandfather's massive Rancho Miramontes. His father, an avid history buff, had named both his sons after famous conquerors, hoping to raise them to take over the family business. Aníbal was tutored by the finest private teachers, showing a precocious intellect and an aptitude for many different fields of study. He also enjoyed physical activity, learning to ride from an early age and excelling in sports, particularly gymnastics. He was, by all appearances, a normal kid, albeit one living in the lap of luxury and privilege. The only unusual ability he showed was an ability to hold his breath for extended periods of time, certainly nothing out of the ordinary. Still, after hitting puberty, strange phenomena began to occur. Strange gusts of wind would sometimes happen when he was nearby, often knocking over vases or sending papers flying. The wind would often change direction or intensity or abruptly stop. Still, no one connected this to him in any way. Until one fateful day…
Aníbal had always particularly enjoyed the feeling of the wind in his hair and on his skin, and was always a passionate young man, a thrill-seeker by nature. He took up skydiving as a hobby, despite the protestations of his mother. On his first jump, accompanied by an instructor, there was a problem. The instructors parachute failed to open. Aníbal found himself thousands of feet in the air, plummeting towards the ground. He panicked. He could feel the air like never before, feel every current, every minute difference in pressure. Only one thought coursed through his mind: Up. Not down. Definitely up. He felt the grip of his instructor on his harness. He felt the currents change, the winds blowing from underneath, getting stronger and stronger, until the two of them suddenly stopped in mid-air, floating on the currents like a giant seagull. It was hard to tell who was more shocked by this development.
„What the Hell are you, kid?!“, the instructor asked.
„I don't know“, Aníbal answered in earnest.
With some effort, Aníbal began to slowly descend, eventually landing in front of his shocked and horrified parents. A hefty payment was made to the instructor, who swore not to tell anyone what happened. Over the next couple of months, Aníbal came to terms with his abilities, learning to exert conscious control over them. He learned he could cause winds, powerful, devastating, gale-force winds, if he focused enough to do it. He learned to fly using the air currents, and asked his parents to finance the construction of a prototype flight suit designed to make flying through the air easier and safer. He learned to compress air and launch it with devastating force against obstacles. This was indeed great power, and he firmly decided it could not be suppressed or kept a secret. His grandfather had always spoken of noblesse oblige, the obligation of the powerful to protect those less fortunate than them. A superhero was a kind of nobleman for the 21st century. Aníbal decided to use his powers for good, to help people. His father was uncertain. He had wanted to groom his sons for power, but this was not the power he had in mind. Still, he had seen the destruction wrought by an immensely powerful threat checked and defeated by superheroes, one of whom had saved his life. He agreed to his son's request, on condition that he keep his identity a secret. Soon afterwards, he used his extensive contacts to arrange his son's transfer to an exclusive private school for gifted youngsters in Freedom City, a place where he would hone his abilities and learn to master them. Taking the name El Huracán, after the Mayan god of storms, Aníbal took the first step in his career as a hero.
Personality & Motivation:
Aníbal was given a patrician upbringing, and it shows in his manner and attitude. He carries himself with poise and elegance, although without a trace of arrogance or coldness. Naturally charismatic, he enjoys company and conversation and knows how to put most people at ease. He's classically handsome and charming in an old-fashioned way, which makes him popular with the girls – although he leans more towards boys. Still, his smooth approach may be seen as insufferably fancy and patronising by those of a more coarse, direct bent. Despite the fact his demeanor makes him appear more mature and levelheaded than the typical teenager, he is nevertheless still young, and has a passionate, impulsive streak liable to get him into trouble. He was always a little reckless, and the development of his powers has made him even more prone to rush headlong into danger at the first opportunity.
His motivation for becoming a superhero is a sense of personal responsibility instilled in him by his grandfather, an old-fashioned landowner. While he has no interest in playing the role of a businessman or the padrón of a hacienda, he feels obligated to use his newfound powers to make the world a better place to live, and particularly to protect those less fortunate than he is. He's proud of his heritage, and eager to serve as a role model to young Latinos everywhere and an ambassador for his country and community. However, in addition to these lofty aspirations and ideals, another reason for his choice is a typical teenage boy's pursuit of excitement and adventure, and an opportunity to impress some handsome chicos or cute senoritas.
Powers & Tactics:
In a combat situation, El Huracán will stay out of range, relying on dodging enemy attacks or deflecting them by manipulating the wind. He attacks from a distance, hurling blasts of air or knocking down opponents with gusts of wind. Usually he stays in the air, hovering above the action and avoiding direct contact. While his suit offers him some protection, able to stop pistol bullets and cushion cuts and blows, he is rather fragile in an up close fight, easily overpowered by a trained or stronger foe. He has a love of flashy moves and daring stunts, and his natural confidence and rapier wit can get under the skin of opponents, as well as inspire his comrades. While he has a good grip on his powers, his youth and inexperience can land him in hot water.
Complications: Anchors Aweigh: As a dual citizen of Mexican heritage, Aníbal may occasionally run into some anti-immigrant sentiment. Having to divide his loyalties between Mexico and the US may also pose a problem in some cases.
Who Is That Handsome Young Devil?: He promised his parents to keep his true identity a secret. It's not easy.
Target of Opportunity: As the son of one of the wealthiest men in Mexico, he's a ripe target for anyone trying to cause harm to his father.
Salsa y Sabor: A combination of inherited passionate temperament and teenage recklessness makes him prone to showboating and flamboyant displays of his powers. He'll usually take unnecessary risks and rush into danger where a more considered approach would be superior.
Rich Corinthian Leather: Aníbal had a privileged upbringing, and is used to living in the lap of luxury. While he is generous and sympathetic to those less fortunate than himself and never ostentatious with his money, he does enjoy the finer things in life. Because of his upper class lifestyle, he can find it hard to relate to those from poorer backgrounds, and they in turn may resent his wealth and good fortune.
Touched By The Terminus: Although it hasn't been officially established, it is likely that Aníbal's powers stem at least in part from his father's exposure to Terminus energy years before. This may cause problems later on. Abilities: 4 + 8 + 4 + 6 + 2 + 8 = 32PP
Strength: 14 (+2)
Dexterity: 18 (+4)
Constitution: 14 (+2)
Intelligence: 16 (+3)
Wisdom: 12 (+1)
Charisma: 18 (+4) Combat: 8 + 12 = 20PP
Initiative: +4
Attack: +4 Melee, +10 Ranged
Grapple: +6 (+22 w/Air Control)
Defense: +12 (+6 Base, +6 Dodge Focus), +3 Flat-Footed
Knockback: -5 Saving Throws: 6 + 6 + 6 = 18PP
Toughness: +8 (+2 Con, +6 Protective Padding (+3 impervious) )
Fortitude: +8 (+2 Con, +6)
Reflex: +10 (+4 Dex, +6)
Will: +6 (+0 Wis, +6) Skills: 48R = 12PP
Acrobatics 1 (+5)
Bluff 4 (+8)
Computers 1 (+4)
Concentration 2 (+3)
Diplomacy 4 (+8)
Handle Animal 2 (+6) Knowledge (art) 1 (+4)
Knowledge (business) 1 (+4)
Knowledge (civics) 1 (+4)
Knowledge (current affairs) 1 (+4)
Knowledge (history) 1 (+4)
Knowledge (popular culture) 3 (+6)
Knowledge (theology & philosophy) 1 (+4)
Language 4 (English, Spanish [Native], French, German, Latin)
Notice 6 (+8)
Perform (dance) 3 (+8)
Perform (oratory) 1 (+5)
Perform (keyboards) 4 (+9)
Perform (singing) 2 (+6)
Ride 1 (+5)
Sense Motive 2 (+4) Feats: 21PP
Attack Focus (Ranged) 6
Attractive
Benefit (Dual Citizenship: US-Mexico)
Benefit 2 (Wealthy Parents)
Connected
Distract (Bluff)
Dodge Focus 6
Favored Environment (air)
Inspire
Taunt
Powers: 37 + 12 + 1 + 4 = 54PP
Aerokinesis 11.5 (23PP Array); Feats: Alternate Power 7, Dynamic 8; Drawbacks: Power Loss (in vacuum) -1) [37PP] (air, mutant)
Dynamic Base Power: Move Object 11 (Air Control; Extras: Range (perception); Feats: Precise; Flaws: Action (full) ) {23/23} (air)
DAP: Blast 10 (Air Blast; Feats: Indirect 3) {23/23} (air)
DAP: Blast 5 (Tornado; Extras: Area [25-125 ft. radius Burst], Duration; Feats: Progression - Increase Area 2, Progression - Increase Range) {23/23} (air)
DAP: Suffocate 5 (Suffocation; Extras: Range 2 (perception) ) {20/23} (air)
DAP: Flight 5 (Wind Riding) {10/23} (air)
DAP: Deflect 4 (Wind Screen; Extras: Reflect, Action 3 (reaction), slow projectiles) {20/23} (air)
DAP: Trip 10 (Blow Away; Range 100 ft; Extras: Knockback; Feats: Indirect 3 (any point, any direction) ) {23/23} (air)
DAP: Trip 5 (Gale; Range 50 ft; Extras: Knockback, Area [50-100 ft Cone], Selective Attack; Feats: Accurate (+2), Improved Trip, Progression - Increase Area ) {23/23} (air)
Device 3 (Huracán Flight Suit; 15PP Container; Hard-To-Lose) [12PP]
Sensory Shield 3 + Super-Senses 1 (Goggles; +6 vs visual effects; low-light vision) [4PP] (technology)
Protection 6 (Protective Padding; Extras: Impervious (3 ranks) ) [9PP]
Immunity 3 (Protective Lining; cold, heat, high pressure; Flaws: Limited - Half Effect) [2PP].
Immunity 1 (suffocation (drowning); Enhanced Lung Capacity; Extras: Flaws: Limited - Half Effect ) [1PP] (mutant)
Super-Senses 5 (Sense Air Flow; Blindsight (tactile), Danger Sense (tactile); Drawback: Power Loss (in vacuum) -1 ) [4PP] (mutant, air)
DC Block
ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Attack Touch DC 17 Toughness Damage (Physical) Air Blast Ranged DC 25 Toughness Damage (Physical) Suffocate Percept. DC 15 Fortitude Suffocation Tornado Area DC 20 Toughness Damage (Physical)
Blow Away Ranged DC 25 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical)
1d20+10 vs. STR or DEX Trip
Gale Ranged DC 20 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical)
1d20+5 vs. STR or DEX (worse) Trip
Totals: Abilities (32) + Combat (20) + Saving Throws (18) + Skills (12) + Feats (21) + Powers (54) = 157/163 Power Points

GM
Saturday, October 8th , 2016
Aaron Cage Gymnasium, Claremont Academy, Bayview
6:38 AM
It was an early Saturday morning, the sun had not yet ascended over the horizon, the ocean east of Freedom City. It was a quiet Saturday morning too, with most of Claremont Academy’s students still asleep, some only recently having returned from nightly trips to various places, with various goals. Other places around the city were much the same. People slumbered, only few were up on a Saturday morning, and of the ones that were, hardly anyone did it voluntarily.
However, like always, there were exceptions. In this case, the exception was Jann Fa-Re, also known as Bird of Arms, who had a strict morning exercise routine. And things like “weekends” or “days off” were not part of that routine. His weekend routine was different, granted, as the gym was empty during mornings. And that meant he could train there without any interference, which was something he appreciated. Plus, waking up his roommate was not something he was fond of.
Another such exception was Aníbal Miramontes, also known as El Huracán, a student of Claremont Academy too. He had just been wandering past the entrance to the gym, as he noticed something happening inside. Another student, who had started this year, and was mostly noticeable for the fact he had wings, was currently going through the obstacle course inside the gym, using a variety of acrobatics, but not his wings, to proceed onwards.

Sunday
April 24, 2016
Nuevo Laredo, Mexico
There have been some interesting reports from Freedom City for the last few days - but honestly the news from Freedom City is usually full of something interesting or another.
Nuevo Laredo was a dangerous city - its status as the busiest inland port in Mexico made it a hotbed of cartel activity, crime and violence such serious problems that even families separated by the border only met on the American side to avoid the risk of street violence. And yet even so, the people that lived there lived better than any prole in the Terminus - better than those people could have dreamed. In the trainyards, as the local security monitored the loading of Dragonfly's new electronic decompilers into the cars of the Southern Pacific, Steve Murdock brooded on these thoughts, and more besides, his dark mood a strange contrast to the "Pixar-blue" sky overhead complete with perfect white puffy clouds dotted here and there.
"Thank you for coming, Echo," he said in a moment when his speedy teammate joined him on top of the train where he crouched, watching the work. Of all the Interceptors, Echo was the one with the simplest passport card - no wonder, for a woman who could cross borders when it suited her fancy. "The men appreciate seeing an American superhero - and I appreciate a comrade here. I apologize I am not a better companion." And with that, as he had been doing so often since they arrived, he fell silent.
-
Getting assigned as a superhero 'ridealong' to the famous Asad had proven to be a real coup for Sparkler and El Huracan - the wealthy playboy had had no real superbattles to fight during a week when business had taken him down to south Texas to supervise the acquisition of Multimedios Radio, one of the largest Norteño stations in the region, a gateway towards making a real financial push into the relatively untapped media market that was northern Mexico. Now he'd crossed the border to actually sign the papers that would make this territory part of his business empire, bringing with him his business staff and the two teenage heroes who hadn't had very much to do this week.
The Crowne Plaza Hotel might not have been very big at 12 stories high - but it was the largest building in Nuevo Laredo. From the penthouse suite that Asad's party had rented for the occasion, the group could see out over the struggling city. From this high up, and behind glass, it was impossible to see the city's troubles, or hear them; just to see a nice, sunny day and a thriving commercial metropolis below them. The streets all around here were crowded with semitrucks, thicker than any the teens had seen even back in major cities in the States, making things far easier for those who could fly.

December 23, 2015. Freedom City. Midtown. Morgan’s Jewlery. 5:00 PM.
Christmas was almost here. The sense of the season was in the air…and on the lightpoles…and the windows…basically downtown was fully decorated to all of humanity’s ranged senses. Last minute shoppers mixed with the general hubbub that was downtown Freedom. In fact, Morgan’s Jewlery was doing a fairly brisk business. Normally, the shop usually dealt with custom orders from more wealthy Freedonians, but for this year’s Christmas shopping season they’d stocked up on more affordable jewelry, in hopes that the profits allow them to afford to move the shop to a new, larger location a few blocks away. Evidently, someone had a better idea as to where that money could go. The customers and staff were being menaced by, of all things, a lion while several others emptied the vault and display cases of gold and diamonds to a waiting truck. One of the staff was already downed, apparently badly injured. The alarm button was close to him, unpressed. Strangely, despite the fact that anyone could see what was happening inside if they glanced through one of the shop’s windows, life continued as usual outside of it.

This is the OOC. Feel free to ask me quite literally anything about the thread, especially if it doesn't make sense. I've likely missed something.
For the record, the store isn't that big inside. It's a storefront kind of place, just your average sized jewelry shop. There are five Customers, and three Store Staff (including the injured man). Four of the Customers and all of the Store Staff are Bystanders and thus PL0 as far as combat goes. However, there currently is nothing to separate the Customer that isn't from the ones that are Bystanders. The injured man is behind the counter, but the rest are pressing against the far wall and each other. The Lions...well...for now that'd be telling. However the ones carrying the jewelry are Minions. The one menacing the Bystanders is not. He's not about to attack them, just keeping them at bay and from getting any Heroic ideas. One last thing. This scene is meant to be Miracle Girl's show. Terrifica isn't supposed to appear until the end of it, but if it looks like she's having trouble the supergenius will appear early. All that AND an extra Hero Point to start, because this is complicated mess of a situation.

Pat's Pizzeria
Bayview, Freedom City, New JerseyMonday November 16th, 2015
5:12 PM
Finding dining off campus that was both hygienic and allowed a monkey to enter its premises was no small task. But, Annibal was up to the challenge. Spending the entire weekend searching the motivated youth was able to uncover a small hole in the wall pizzeria called Pat's. A secret hotspot among metahumans, Pat's was quite possibly the most primate friendly dining spot.
The secret behind the place's cleanliness? Pat the owner had the ability to create and manipulate soap, bubbles, and foam. Making her a one woman cleaning machine. It also made eating at Pat's an attractive option for people whose powers came with a fur filled face lift. Not to mention the regular people who loved seeing Pat's nonthreatening powers at work.
Suffice to say, Raina and Annibal had no issue finding a booth that would allow them to bring Merlin inside.

October 2015 Riley was alone in the gym for now; just the way he liked it. He'd even changed for the occasion, down to the binder and green and brown costume that were the minimum level of clothes he was willing to be seen in while walking around the school. On the obstacle course near one side of the ample gym, he took a moment to wrap his hands before beginning his run. First came the low wall of padded foam, which he vaulted with contemptuous ease, then the elevated, irregularly placed blocks that were equally no obstacle to him as he went. He vaulted to the balancing bridge without so much as touching the matted gym floor and made his way along at a dead run, eyes open and ears wide as he went. This was easy - here he was in minimal clothing, with no gear. Later he'd do it the hard way; gather up his clothes and his bow from where he'd left them neatly folded in one corner of the gym, and do it that way, but for now he was content to warm up. He had a long evening ahead of him in here - if he was lucky.

Jordan International Airport 9/19/2015, 10:15 AM, Partly Cloudy Spend enough time around airports and one grew accustomed to the dull roar of distant jet engines and the skipping skreech of landing gear hitting the runway. The endless ballet of the airspace over a busy international airport had it's own rhythms and meter to those familiar. Thus it was the change in that rhythm that first would clue in Casey Blankenship of something out of the ordinary, something hard to place in the ordering of landings and take offs, a change in the dull background signals of busy radio bands, then a series of encrypted signals and the sign of sure trouble as she picked up the command from flight control diverting all aircraft from Jordan International where she sat trying to concentrate on her homework whilst she awaited her father finishing whatever business it was that had brought him here this morning. The signal, tight beam and encrypted, could be felt moments before his communicator trilled in the briefcase he left behind, "AEGIS Calling Vigilant, Suspected 7500 need eyes on." *** Inside the Airport there was little to indicate the drama unfolding in the skies above, people slowly made their way through security, passengers awaited flights in uncomfortable seat occasionally checking departure or arrival times. An alert patron might have heard the a distant scream, or noticed uniformed TSA officers rushing to the restrooms near an empty gate. But for most no sign of trouble was likely to be noticed until the boards suddenly refreshed and all flights were marked as delayed, a sure sign of trouble. Those sitting close enough to the gates boarding desk might have heard the whispered supposition that air traffic lost contact with a plane above or that it had broken its flight plan. Neither a good sign to be sure. *** In the skies over Freedom Archtech test pilot Naomi Baines testing the latest adjustments to the flight pack her employers were developing would hear some of the chatter as planes were grounded and military escorts mustered. Given the dangers in the skies Archetech protocol would be to land unless called in by authorities of course. Then again Archtech protocol wasn't exactly designed with a nigh immortal hero in mind. There certainly was an argument to be made that Jordan International was the closest safe landing area after all. *** On board flight 1200 Freedom to London there was little to indicate anything amiss. Regular travelers if they were paying attention might notice they didn't seem to be traveling east as one would expect, but for most in the skies over freedom there were few enough clues as to where they were that it was unlikely to take anything amiss. The Flight attendants began to walk the aisles taking drink orders and all seemed normal until a child gleefully pointed out in a staccato squeal, "Look Mamma the Sentry Statue again We passed it three times now!" Why would the plane be circling Freedom city and why hadn't the flight crew alerted the passengers?

Danger Room, Claremont Academy Wednesday 9/15/2015 Early Afternoon When they were pulled from afternoon classes for a special assessment and Team Building Exercise Riley, Raina, Robin and Anibal were not precisely sure what that would entail though doubtless they each had ideas of what to expect. Few of them however were likely to expect what they found when they reported as directed to the athletic fields where in the distance they could make out Coach archer drilling a class of freshmen in a rather expansive obstacle course. Other than the distant coach and students there wasn't much to see other than each other for several minutes before a large man emerged from a nearby stand of trees and strode out toward them. Upon closer inspection the students could see he seemed to be made of or coated in some kind of silvery metal and from the way his footfalls left impressions in the ground it looked like he had the heft to back it up. Some of the more social students might have recognized him as Coach Capote, Archers younger larger assistant, while those with an interest in millennial supers might recognize him as the hulking powerhouse Dauntless who occasionally made the news though less so of late.